Program Overview
Philosophy Program
The Philosophy Department at UIS strives to be a national leader in offering advanced undergraduate education online while serving the entire UIS student population, undergraduate and graduate. The curriculum focuses on the areas of core analytic philosophy and values, providing a sound background in the history of philosophy.
Departmental Goals and Objectives
The objectives of the Philosophy major include providing students with basic knowledge in the main areas of philosophy, increasing their awareness of ethical issues, improving their analytical skills, and assisting them in developing problem-solving experience in at least one of the main areas of philosophy.
The Bachelor's Degree
Advising
Students should consult with their academic advisor for specific guidance regarding completion of general education requirements.
Area of Specialization
Currently, students may specialize in the area of core analytic philosophy or in the area of values. In addition to the eight hours required of all majors, students specializing in either core analytic philosophy or values must take one advanced class in the area of specialization and a senior seminar associated with the chosen area of specialization.
Areas of Study
Students must take a minimum of two classes in the following three areas:
- Core analytical philosophy
- History of philosophy
- Values
- In order to gain analytical skills, students must take at least two classes (eight hours) in the area of core philosophy.
- In order to gain a comprehensive outlook on the history of philosophy, students must take one class in ancient and medieval philosophy and one class in the history of modern philosophy.
- In order to gain familiarity with value theory, students are required to take at least two classes (at least eight hours) in the areas of ethics, aesthetics, or political philosophy.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Clarity: Students will learn to articulate a position, formulate an argument, and describe the views of other philosophers with a high degree of clarity and precision.
- Argumentation: Students will learn to make well-articulated, cogent, reasoned, and sustained arguments in defense of a philosophical thesis.
- Reading: Students will learn to read with comprehension and to critically assess the works of other philosophers.
- Dialog: Students will learn to engage each other, and their instructors, in meaningful philosophical dialog.
- Competence: Students will develop competent knowledge in their field of specialization within the major.
- Knowledge: Students will acquire adequate knowledge in the areas of History of Philosophy, Value Theory, and Core Analytic Philosophy.
Philosophy Electives
In order to gain a broad philosophical perspective, every student needs to take four hours of philosophy electives (an extra class in any area of philosophy).
Requirements
Core Courses:
- Matriculation Module 1: 0 hours
- Logic/Critical Thinking: PHI 301 (4 hours) or PHI 401
- Area 1 (Core Analytical Philosophy): Select eight hours from the following courses:
- PHI 353: Person, Identity, and Dignity
- PHI 470: Topics in Analytic Philosophy
- PHI 471: Philosophy of Science
- PHI 472: Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology
- PHI 473: Philosophy of Mind
- PHI 481: Philosophy of Language
- PHI 482: Metaphysics of Things
- Area 2 (History of Philosophy): Select two of the following courses:
- PHI 421: Ancient & Medieval Philosophy
- PHI 425: History of Modern Philosophy
- PHI 480: Readings in the History of Philosophy
- Area 3 (Values): Select eight hours from the following courses:
- PHI 242: Ethics, Love & Goals of Life
- PHI 336: Contemporary American Political Philosophy
- PHI 341: Ethics
- PHI 432: Philosophy of Art
- PHI 434: Aesthetics
- PHI 441: Moral Theory
- PHI 447: Rationality and Moral Choice
- PHI 448: Moral Values in Political Philosophy
- PHI 460: Topics in Normative Philosophy
- PHI 485: Social Philosophy
- Philosophy Elective: Any PHI class (4 hours)
- Advanced class in specialization: Select one of the following courses:
- PHI 460: Topics in Normative Philosophy
- PHI 470: Topics in Analytic Philosophy
- PHI 480: Readings in the History of Philosophy
- PHI 481: Philosophy of Language
- PHI 482: Metaphysics of Things
- PHI 485: Social Philosophy
- Capstone: PHI 495: Senior Seminar in Philosophy (4 hours) Total Hours: 40
Philosophy Minor
The Philosophy minor is available for students who wish to pursue a secondary field of study in Philosophy.
Online Degree
The online Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy allows students to participate in dynamic, diverse, and interactive online learning communities and to complete their degrees via the Internet.
Courses
PHI 101: Introduction to Philosophy
This course introduces students to some of the basic issues, readings, and methods of philosophy.
PHI 242: Ethics, Love & Goals of Life
Practical social and moral issues are discussed, looking for solutions in ethical theory, moral psychology, science, and literature.
PHI 252: Science Fiction and Philosophy
Science fiction is used to introduce and explore diverse topics in contemporary philosophy.
PHI 301: Critical Thinking
Principles of logical analysis and argumentation, with special attention to common fallacies in informal reasoning, reasoning by analogy, and decision theory.
PHI 315: Comparative Philosophy of Religion
A survey of several topics in the philosophy of religion, such as arguments for the existence of God, religious experience, the problem of evil, and religious pluralism.
PHI 336: Contemporary American Political Philosophy
Focuses on four late 20th-century political philosophies: liberalism, libertarianism, communitarianism, and conservatism.
PHI 341: Ethics
This class gives students the background in analytical moral theory, covering issues such as the sources of moral obligation, objectivism and relativism, intuitionism, utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue.
PHI 353: Person, Identity, and Dignity
Focuses on such questions as: What makes people different from other things in the world? What makes people identical with themselves over time?
PHI 401: Logic
An introduction to the use of symbolic methods in the evaluation and analysis of arguments.
PHI 411: Feminist Theories
What would a good society be like? We will discuss a range of feminist theories with different views on the good society.
PHI 421: Ancient & Medieval Philosophy
Familiarizes students with the ancient and medieval traditions which gave rise to present-day philosophy.
PHI 425: History of Modern Philosophy
A survey, grounded in primary texts with secondary readings of western philosophical thought, from the Renaissance to the twentieth century.
PHI 428: Globalization and the Future of Democracy
Democracy means that national governments must respond to and represent their own national people.
PHI 432: Philosophy of Art
Nature and value of art, including such issues as: How is art distinguished from non-art? Can there be objective judgments about art?
PHI 434: Aesthetics
The course covers the major concepts and theories of analytic aesthetics, including beauty, aesthetic and artistic values, aesthetic experience, aesthetic attitude, aesthetic state of mind, and relations between aesthetics and art.
PHI 437: Marxist Philosophy: Past, Present, Future
We examine the origins and development of Marxist philosophy and consider its relevance today.
PHI 438: Postmodern Theory: Politics and Possibility
By the 20th century, understandings of truth, reality, and history were shaken to their core.
PHI 441: Moral Theory
Familiarizes students with advanced analytical moral theory on the basis of contemporary readings, mostly anthologies.
PHI 447: Rationality and Moral Choice
Ethical behavior is often the most rational approach to be pursued by groups.
PHI 448: Moral Values in Political Philosophy
An advanced inquiry into the connections between ethics and political philosophy, the structure of political theories, and various attempts to justify political principles through moral principles.
PHI 460: Topics in Normative Philosophy
Special topics in ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics, and related areas.
PHI 470: Topics in Analytic Philosophy
Special topics in metaphysics, epistemology, and related areas.
PHI 471: Philosophy of Science
Introduces students to many of the philosophical issues involved in modern science.
PHI 472: Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology
Explores a selection of topics from core analytic philosophy, both classical and contemporary.
PHI 473: Philosophy of Mind
What is the mind, and how does it relate to the body?
PHI 480: Readings in the History of Philosophy
Guided readings in a period of the history of philosophy or a particular philosophical tradition or figure.
PHI 481: Philosophy of Language
What is it for words to mean something? What is the connection between language and reality?
PHI 482: Metaphysics of Things
This advanced course in metaphysics tackles some ongoing puzzles regarding the metaphysics of ordinary things in our world.
PHI 485: Social Philosophy
Theory of interactions among people that lie at the level of generality between individual life and state politics.
PHI 495: Senior Seminar in Philosophy
This capstone class includes a two-credit hour seminar and a two-credit hour senior overview which includes a research paper.
PHI 499: Tutorial
Intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings.
PHI 512: Feminist Theories II
This seminar offers close readings of major theories and accompanying methodology such as socialist, postmodernist, queer, and postcolonial feminism.
PHI 535: Philosophy of Education
Major philosophical views of aims and processes of education.
PHI 537: Social Capital and Values
Examines various definitions of social capital and the role it plays in business and politics.
PHI 580: Advanced Topics in Philosophy
This graduate-level seminar in philosophy offers a sustained critical exploration of one special topic per term.